U.S. Army Chooses Leupold Mark 5HD for Sniper Use

The U.S. Army Precision Sniper Rifle program has selected the Leupold & Stevens Mark 5HD riflescope for its day optic. The scope will be issued on the USSOCOM selected MK22 Mod 0 based on the Barret Multi-Role Adaptive Design bolt-action, multi-caliber system chambered in 7.62 NATO, .300 Norma Mag., and .338 Norma Mag.  

Unlike the black color scheme available to civilian enthusiasts, the U.S. Army Mark 5HD 5-25x56 mm will come in a proprietary flat-dark-earth coating. It will also feature the Mil-Grid Reticle patented by that military branch.  

“The Mark 5HD has been built from the ground up to deliver the unparalleled performance that the men and women serving our country overseas require," said Sam Horstman, director of military sales for Leupold. “And, like all of our optics, the Mark 5HD has been strenuously tested for durability, and fully meets the extremely high standards that the military demands. Our Soldiers need their optics to perform, and we’re glad to be able to offer a solution that’s built to deliver on those expectations.”

The 5HD 5-25x56 mm weighs only 30 ozs., significantly lighter than many other riflescopes in its class. Overall length is 15.67". It’s adjustable for 120 MOA (34.9 mils) in elevation and 60 MOA (17.5 mils) in windage. It’s waterproof, fogproof and features Leupold’s single-turn CDS-ZL dial.

Three models of the Mark 5HD are available in milliradian and MOA configurations for civilian enthusiasts—a 3.6-18x44 mm, 5-25x56 mm and 7-35x56 mm. American Rifleman Assistant Editor David Herman got behind the latter in August 2019. “Durable and consistent, this is a scope for those looking to push the bounds of their rifle with the confidence that, should they miss, it’s not the optic that is letting them down,” he wrote.”

Leupold proudly provides its optics to the United States military, law-enforcement and government agencies across the country, and to the armed forces of many of our nation’s closest allies. No American optics company has held more U.S. military contracts than Leupold.